About a year ago, Detroit Zoo received a donation of $500,000 from the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation for a new Red Panda habitat.
Last week the new home for Red Pandas Ravi, Ash and Ta-Shi has opened.
According to the zoo, the now 14,000 square feet large habitat costs approximately $800,000 and features “significant enhancements” like a flowing stream, an extended arboreal pathway through the habitat, misting areas and additional land and nesting places. There is also a new rope bridge for zoo visitors which “provides unparalleled views of these arboreal animals for adventurous guests”.
Learning experiences for the visitors
The indoor area has also got an upgrade and now offers heated and cooled spaces with nest boxes. Interactive learning experiences were also implemented in the concept in order to raise awareness about the Red Panda and its threats.
One of Detroit Zoo’s Red Pandas in the old habitat, 2017. Photo: Maia C on flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“The Detroit Zoological Society and the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation share this same commitment to education and the preservation of endangered wildlife,” said Jonathan Holtzman, founder of the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation.
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